Sports Illustrated has great new photos of the Chicago Bulls dance team. Click here to go there now!
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Guess what has two thumbs and got to go to a recent Clippers game and see the dancers and have lots of fun? 
You know it! First, some apologies. Those of you who have been with us for a while know that I have a special place in my heart for the Clippers Spirit. This is the very first dance team that opened their arms and welcomed me like family. They’ve always been beyond awesome, and for that reason, I will always love them. They are – collectively – my Eternal Flame. I’m sure you can imagine my chagrin when I realized almost the whole entire 2011-12 regular season had gone by, and I’d not been to one game. Not even one. What’s worse – it didn’t even occur to me until Clippers Spirit Director Audrea Harris sent me a note about the 2012 auditions. Ohmigawd, how did I miss the whole season? And I call myself the #1 Clippers Spirit fan? Unofficial president of the Clippers Spirit fan club? I am covered in shame. I vowed to Audrea that this will not happen again. 2012-2113, I’m all about it. I’m in there! You can count on me! Yessiree. Then Audrea was like “So why don’t you come to the next game?” And that’s how I found myself on the way to Staples Center one Saturday morning, not long ago. The game was at 12:30, but of course the dancers have to be there early, so I pulled into the parking lot around 10 a.m. There is something weird about going to a professional level sporting event at 10 in the morning. I was a little nervous. The last game I’d been to, over a year ago, I had a messed up foot and was limping around like a big loser. I was glad to be going to this game with two working feet. Imagine my chagrin when I took one step out of the parking structure – and fell flat on my face. (Actually, it was more like all fours, if you want to be 100% accurate.) I skinned the bejeezus out of my knee. Imagine my further horror when I tried to stand up and realized I’d jacked up my foot. Again. Why me, God? Why me? I immediately decided no one was going to know about this. No way I was going to go in there and admit that I’d injured myself again. Injured myself while doing absolutely nothing – again. It’s utterly humiliating, if you want to know the absolute truth. It hurt like hell as I limped my way over to the Staples Center, but I told myself it was a matter of mind over matter. I was going to walk in there like a normal person. I. Would. Not. Limp. And no one would know what just happened. By the time I got inside, I had a pretty credible swagger going on. What’s this here? Naw, that’s not a limp. I’m just walking with attitude. I ducked into the arena to see if the dance team was rehearsing. While I was there, I sat down for a moment to check out my skinned knee. Eeeeeeew. Thank goodness I was wearing dark colored pants that covered everything up. Of course, no sooner had I got my pant leg rolled up, than one of the arena security people came over and told me it was a closed practice. Before I got up and hobbled out of there, I snapped a quick pic to capture the moment of my (not-so) triumphant return to the Clipper Nation.  Aw yeah, baby. I’m back! But that’s enough about my trials and tribulations. In the interests of brevity, all future references to my debilitating injury and the shame associated therewith will simply be referred to as the [youknowwhat]. I sucked it up, I got on the elevator, and went downstairs to find Audrea and the Clippers Spirit. I came across them as they rehearsed in the hallway. I’m not sure exactly why they were in the hallway. I read a great quote in an Elizabeth Berg novel once. It goes something like “If you think you don’t miss someone, just see them again.” Berg is right. It all comes flooding back. I hadn’t realized how much I missed this. All those smiling faces. I admit I got a little verclempt (on the inside.) Pretty soon, we headed out to the court for rehearsal, and I was back to work again. It was like riding a bike. The team rehearsed all of their routines for the night, while the two basketball teams (Clippers and Golden State that night), did what they do at either end of the court. Throwing balls around and whatnot. The Clippers Fan Patrol also came out to practice a few stunts.  These girls work HARD, but they make it look easy and fun. No wonder so many people show up at tryouts every year. One thing about the on-court rehearsal: is it is dangerous. There are basketballs flying everywhere. Plus, I don’t know if the guys realize how much bigger they are than the members of the dance team. Someone could really get hurt. I watched as Brittany almost got smacked in the head with a rogue basketball. Thank goodness for those ninja-like reflexes. She caught the ball, laughed, and tossed it back to Dave Severns (Director of Player Development).  Dave hands the ball back to the guilty party. After that, I was hyper-aware of every ball and every live body on the court. I was not about to sustain a concussion in addition to the [youknowwhat].  I wasn’t the only one. Kellie was not trying to take a ball upside the head either. One of Audrea’s assistants brought over her headset. From what I gather, it gets a little old, sharing headsets, so this year, Audrea got one of her own. But it’s not just any old headset. This one sparkles.  Headset by Swarovski – ha!
All of a sudden, I really want to bedazzle something. I don’t know if it’s because of this, or because I’ve seen every single episode of “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.”  More rehearsal. Nobody smiles more than Ariana. She’s fun to watch. Somebody want to tell me exactly what those two are doing in the background?
After rehearsal, it was back to the dressing to get suited up for the game. The girls had brand new dresses, just out of the box. There was a little bit of confusion on exactly how these were supposed to go. One strap goes over the shoulder. Is the other one supposed to go across the front? Or across the back? Or do they both go on the same side? Because the outfits were new, they hadn’t been road-tested, so to speak. Nobody knew how they would hold up during a dance, so Audrea decided the dresses would only be worn for pregame, and then the ladies would change outfits.  Which way does this thing go? Once everyone was pinned in, it was time to head up to the gates to meet and greet the fans. Brittany, Rhea, and Katrina went one way. Sara, Jessie, and Kellie went the other way. My usual m.o. is to stick to the dancers like a bad habit. Wherever they go, I go. They rehearse – I’m there. They perform – I’m there. Somebody has an itch – I’m there to witness the scratching. This time I had to make a few adjustments in order to keep the [youknowwhat] on the downlow. No way I’d be able to keep up with the girls, so I just sort of hung back and let them go ahead. They took the stairs. I took the elevator.  The fans, as always, were thrilled to see them. Meeting and greeting commenced. It occured to me that while I have taken puh-lenty of great photos of Rhea over the years, I don’t think I’ve done Brittany and Katrina justice. I’m going to rectify that tonight.
Over the years, I have mostly overcome my fear of the Fan Patrol’s death-defying stunts. I’m still pretty awed though. I don’t know anyone else who can do this. Pretty soon it was time to meet up in the locker room and head out for pregame. I waited for everyone to go downstairs, and then eased on over to the elevator again. So far, so good. You know how just before the game starts, the music gets loud and the crowd gets all hyped up? Well, let me tell you, there are all kinds of shenanigans going on in the tunnel, where the public can’t see. 
Plus, there’s always time for photos.
Meanwhile behind the dancers, the Clippers basketball team is engaged in some bizarre pregame ritual whereby they take turns sprinting up and down the hallway while the others make race car sounds. Blake Griffin dashes by. Kmart and DeAndre whip their heads to the left and go ZOOOOOM! Blake comes back running the other way. The heads whip to the right. ZOOOOOOOM! Then it’s DeAndre’s turn to run, and Blake and KMart do the zooming. This is so weird.  This is the first time I’ve seen these red boots in person. They are intense. I think I’m a little bit afraid of these boots. The dancers run out to hype up the crowd while the two basketball teams clear the court.
Then the dancers clear off and the lights go down. It’s showtime! A minute later, the dancers and Fan Patrol run back out. They’re on the court. They’re off the court. They’re on again. They’re off again. It’s difficult to keep track. 
The basketball teams are introduced and the National Anthem singer does her thing.
The lights come up, the dancers exit, and the game begins. Back in the dressing room, the girls hurry through the next costume change. Meanwhile, Audrea is fretting over her jewelry. Someone in game ops has dared her to wear all of her blue cocktail rings at one time. If she wears them for the whole first quarter, he’ll give her $20. On the one hand, all that jewelry was going to look pretty tacky and unprofessional. Audrea doesn’t do “tacky and unprofessional” so this goes against the grain. On the other hand, as Katrina pointed out, $20 is a mani/pedi.  She earned that $20, fair and square. I made my way back out to the court. The game had started, but it wasn’t all that exciting yet, so I had some time to think. The last time I’d been to a game at the Staples Center, I sat waaaaay up in the 300s.  Wow, that seems far away. I remember looking down at the numbers on the baseline, thinking “That should be me right there. That #10 down there has my name all over it. ”
Let me tell you something: I’ve been up there, and I’ve been down here. Down here is better. Every time the buzzer sounded, I looked over my shoulder to see if the dance team was coming. By the time they showed up for their first performance, I had a pretty good crick in my neck. It’s always a race to get out there before they start dancing, so have to start moving the second I see them coming. When the team hit the court, so did I. The first quarter dance was “Proud Mary.” Hit it!  This is a really fun one!
Due to the [youknowwhat] I was a little too far behind the dance team when they left the court. But the time I got out of the tunnel, there was nobody there but me and a nice red-jacketed gentleman who informed me that I was not allowed back to the dressing room without an escort. WHA–? Just as I feared. Now that the Clips are big news, security has tightened up. Anyway, it’s my fault for not going to more games, so the guy didn’t recognize me. To tell you the truth, it didn’t bother me all that much. With the [youknowwhat] going on, I decided I’d be just as happy waiting out on the court. So I texted Audrea so she didn’t think I’d been kidnapped, then I went back out on the court and parked myself behind the baseline. Things were going well so far. I didn’t think anyone was on to me. Side benefit of the [youknowwhat]: I got to watch some exciting basketball. It was wonderful to see the arena completely full and the Clips getting extra love from the people. When the dancers appeared for the second quarter dance, they were in hip hop mode.  It’s tricky to rock around, to rock around that’s right on time It’s tricky! It’s tricky, tricky, tricky, tricky…
As the dancers ran off the court, a man in a suit pulled me aside and to tell me that I wasn’t allowed to go out in front of the dancers anymore. For the rest of the game, I’d have to stay behind the baseline. Duuuuuude, what? Since when? These are my girls! I have to be out front. What was I going to do for the rest of the game? I won’t be able to see anything! Those guys in the red jackets are always blocking the way. (Yes, I’m whining.) On the other hand, me and my [youknowwhat] were fine with this. Next game, maybe I’ll be a little upset. This game, I’ma go take a seat. And don’t think you’ve won, dude. This just means next time I’ll have to be a little sneaky. The third quarter dance was “Gimmie Dat.” Costume change!  I think I did pretty good job from the side, even with the Red Jackets in my way.
The girls put on their jackets for a quick minute during the break after the 3rd quarter, and then it was time for another costume change. I’m always happy when the fourth quarter rolls around because the girls get to come out and sit with me. Or rather, the girls spend Q4 behind the baseline on either side of the court. And since that’s where the photographers sit, I happened to be near them. It’s not like they were all “Hey, let’s go hang out with Sasha,” know what I mean? This is their job, after all. Anyway, I’m glad to see them.  I hung with Sara, Ariana, Becca, Anasheh, and Rhea.
After a bit, the girls had to get up and pump up the crowd. 
While they were doing that, I switched sides and sat with Brittany, Katrina, Kellie, Katie, and Jessie. Random factoid: Katie has a twin sister named Kellie, but that Kellie isn’t the same is this Kellie. Obviously.  Katie and Kellie. Or is it Kellie and Katie? Next thing I knew, the game is over. The Clips managed to score a few extra points in the last couple minutes, and it was over. Time flies! In all, it was a SUPER fun time. Why I don’t do this more often? In the meantime, the Clips are still in the playoffs. YES! And even though we have Blake Griffin, DJ, CP3, Kmart, and company to thank for it, I also think this is the universe’s way of giving the dancers a few extra games to make up for that stinkin’ lock out. Yup. I loves me some Clippers Spirit. I feel like huggin’ somebody. If you haven’t had quite enough of the Clippers Spirit, click here to check out the rest of the photos from the game! Auditions for the Brooklyn Nets all new dance team will be held on June 2nd at the Long Island University Brooklyn Campus. Audition prep classes kick off this Thursday, April 26 at Crunch Fitness in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. (The auditions will be much more involved than in the past; check back for more details on the new process.)
OPEN CALL AUDITION – SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 12:00 P.M. AUDITION REQUIREMENTS: Dancers must be 18 or older and have at least 8 years of technical dance training. Tumbling skills are a plus, but not required. Learn a different NETS Dancer routine at each session. The Suns Dancers are back on Sports Illustrated. Click here to check it out!
Click here to check out Sports Illustrated’s photos of the Minnesota Timberwolves Dancers in action!
As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for the 2012 playoffs, one member couldn’t be happier to be a part of all the excitement. Though her name isn’t widely known, her refreshing smile is seen by millions, during games at Staples Center, at Lakers community events around Southern California and nationwide on television. Jennifer Megumi Albeanu is a member of an exclusive sorority. She is a Laker Girl. “I would never have thought I could accomplish such a big goal,” said the 29-year-old from La Habra. She managed to catch the eye of the judges during tryouts last year and went on to earn a spot on the roster of dancers who keep the home crowd entertained during breaks in the game. “The auditions are crazy, because there’s 600 girls here and only 22 make the team,” she explained. “I feel very blessed to have been chosen for the team and to be on an NBA court, to represent one of the biggest organizations in the NBA.” The tryouts are a logistical madhouse, with each young woman having only a few seconds to make an impression. “I would hope that they saw my dancing ability,” Albeanu said. “I feel that as far as clean, classic style goes, that’s an area where I’ve been strong. Other NBA teams may have a different style they’re looking for, but I hope the Lakers saw a strong dance background from me.” Dance was not something Albeanu found interesting at a very early age. It took a fair amount of prodding from a grade school friend to finally coax her into giving it a shot in 1993. “My parents always encouraged me to dance, but it was my best friend in first grade who approached me to try out for her team,” she recalled. By the end of her third-grade year, she had made the Squirettes team from Dansations Studio in La Habra, where she continued to dance through high school, college and into adulthood. She also participated in gymnastics and cheerleading at Whittier Christian High School, both of which eventually gave her a skillful edge over other Laker Girl hopefuls. Albeanu directed much of the credit for her success toward her parents, Japanese natives Jun and Eiko Kawai. She described them as being atypical Asian parents who steered her toward pursuing her dreams, rather than a relentless regimen of academics. “They encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do. They were very supportive of me dancing,” she said. “I also rode horses, and that’s definitely not a typically Japanese thing. They were always supportive of anything I wanted to accomplish. “They’re fairly Americanized. Of course, they’re still Japanese by culture, but they haven’t fit the super-strict stereotype. They’re pretty normal people, very loving parents.” They did, however, send her to Saturday Japanese school, which she said she didn’t appreciate much. “I hated it at the time,” she admitted, “but now I can read hiragana and katakana and a little bit of kanji, so I think it was a good thing for me. I wish I had liked it at the time.” After earning her degree in journalism from Cal State Long Beach, Albeanu spent several years coaching dance and cheerleading at the high school level, as well as at summer dance camps for young girls. She had always had the idea of dancing professionally in the back of her mind. “I had seen some of the older dancers at the studio who had been Lakers or Clippers dancers,” she explained. “Looking up to them, I always felt I’d like to do that, and I started feeling in junior high that I wanted to try.” The opportunity came up in 2010, when she joined an audition to dance for Chivas USA of Major League Soccer, made the squad and danced for two seasons. As much as she enjoyed her time with Chivas USA, Albeanu said there is simply no higher achievement than donning the purple and gold of the Lakers. After trying and failing at auditions three straight years, she made the cut, and recalled her first appearance as almost dream-like. “It was a surreal feeling, having grown up in L.A. and knowing the Lakers Girls as such a big name,” she said. “To finally find myself on the court during the national anthem with all these basketball players you see on TV standing next to you, it was surreal. At the same time, I had to focus and remember that this is my job.” The Laker Girls maintain a roster of 22 dancers, rotating and keeping a squad of 18 on the court. They learn a dozen or so routines for the season, mostly with professional choreographers, but some they arrange themselves. Albeanu can’t remember any particular mistakes, but said she has made many. She said that fortunately, she hasn’t had a Cinderella moment – in which a shoe goes flying. “Having grown up in L.A. and knowing the Lakers Girls and to finally find myself on the court during the national anthem with all these basketball players you see on TV standing next to you, it was surreal,” Albeanu said of her debut with the dance team. “That’s probably the hardest thing, to be reminded that I’m human after all. My goal is to do clean routines, so I practice a lot,” she said. As with any attractive young woman whose job it is to interact with occasionally unruly spots fans, Albeanu acknowledged there is a certain “creep factor” involved in her high-profile position. The Laker Girls are, after all, professional athletes, but she admitted that most pro athletes don’t wear a skimpy, two-piece uniform. “For the most part, the fans are pretty good, but we have a few [problems] here and there,” she explained. “Luckily, I feel the organization protects us well, by not putting us into situations that could create a stir.” She said they need to keep a smile and trust everything is okay, but that it can be critically important to remain aware of one’s surroundings. She must keep aware of her own skills; Laker Girls are all signed to a one-year contract. To continue, they must audition again – with the hundreds of other hopefuls. Albeanu hopes to continue advising and coaching cheer and dance after her Laker days are finished, hopefully at the professional level. She also said she is very near her next big step: starting a family with her husband, Tim. “I don’t want to wait too long. My parents don’t want me to wait,” she said. “My dad’s a big baseball fan and he had a dream about us having a son, so he saw our son in a baseball jersey. I guess that’s a little bit of a hint.” By Jay Betslill
Michelle is an active duty Captain in the United States Air Force. Currently (2012), she works as a Budget Officer at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) in San Antonio, Texas. She is also a San Antonio Silver Dancer for the 2011-2012 season, the official NBA dance team of the San Antonio Spurs. She initially began cheering professionally after she commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. Michelle was first stationed at Mountain Home AFB, ID when she auditioned and made it as an Ice Girl for the Idaho Steelheads, a professional minor league ice hockey team in Boise, Idaho, in early 2008. Afterwards, Michelle tried out for and made the Boise Burn Hotshots, Boise’s Arena Football dance team. Michelle danced for the Boise Burn during the 2008-2009 AFL season before the AFL realigned and the Boise Burn dissolved in 2010.
Michelle recently was accepted into the AF Medical Service Corps (MSC) in 2012 and will continue her active duty service as an MSC officer effective June 2012. Michelle is a 2007 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and cheered while at the Academy all four years. She is also expected to graduate with her Masters in Healthcare Administration in May 2012. |
 
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At the Top of Her Game
